usb-creator gets as far as 'Starting up' then hangs

Fresh install of 8.10 -- all current updates installed.

usb-creator gets as far as the Installing popup box saying 'Starting up', then nothing.

Output when running in terminal:

alan@VIA:/tmp/usb-creator/bin$ /usr/bin/usb-creator

-- Starting up at 15:08:40 --
[15:08:40] got a disc: Ubuntu 8.10 i386
[15:08:40] new device:
{'capacity': dbus.UInt64(2021654528L), 'uuid': '4956-A65C', 'label': '', 'free': 2017689600L, 'fstype': 'vfat', 'device': '/dev/sdb', 'mountpoint': '/media/disk', 'udi': '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/volume_uuid_4956_A65C'}
[15:08:40] adding: /dev/sdb
[15:08:40] updating dest_status as part of update_row_state
[15:09:07] Installing...
[15:09:07] Source CD: /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/volume_label_Ubuntu_8_10_i386
[15:09:07] Destination disk: /dev/sdb
[15:09:07] Persistence size: 708 MB

...then nothing.

Cancel > Quit does not work:

[15:09:24] Forcing shutdown of the install process.
[15:09:27] Forcing shutdown of the install process.
[15:09:27] Forcing shutdown of the install process.

Process does not shutdown. Requires 'sudo kill -15 <process id>'.

Any ideas? Not sure what other info to include.

Cheers
Alan